Letusnowtakeageneralglanceatsomeoftheconditionsoftheearlysettlers；andfirst，astothehealthfulnessoftheclimate。
　　ThemortalityoftheseasonthatfollowedthelandingofthePilgrimsatPlymouthhasbeensufficientlyaccountedfor。Afterthis，thecolonistsseemtohavefoundthenewcountryagreeingverywellwiththeirEnglishconstitutions。Itsclearairisthesubjectofeulogy。
　　ItsdaintyspringsofsweetwaterarepraisednotonlybyHigginsonandWood，buteventhemischievousMortonsays，thatforitsdelicatewatersCanaancamenotnearthiscountry。“Thereisatendencytodilateonthesesimpleblessings，whichremindsonealittleoftheMarchionessinDickens’sstory，withherorange-peel-and-waterbeverage。Stillmoredoesonefeelthewarmthofcoloring，——suchasweexpectfromconvertstoanewfaith，andsettlerswhowanttoenticeothersovertotheirclearings，whenWinslowspeaks，in1621，of“abundanceofroses，white，red，anddamask；single，butverysweetindeed；“amostofall，however，when，inthesameconnection，hesays，“Herearegrapeswhiteandred，andverysweetandstrongalso。“Thisofourwildgrape，alittlevegetableIndian，whichscalpsacivilizedman’smouth，ashisanimalrepresentativescalpshiscranium。ButthereissomethingquitecharminginWinslow’spictureoftheluxuryinwhichtheyareliving。Lobsters，oysters，eels，mussels，fishandfowl，deliciousfruit，includingthegrapesaforesaid，——iftheyonlyhad“kine，horses，andsheep，“hemakesnoquestionbutmenwouldliveascontentedhereasinanypartoftheworld。Wecannothelpadmiringthewayinwhichtheytooktheirtrials，andmadethemostoftheirblessings。
　　“AndhowContenttheywere，“saysCottonMather，“whenanHonestMan，asIhaveheard，invitinghisFriendstoaDishofClams，attheTablegaveThankstoHeaven，whohadgiventhemtosucktheabundanceoftheSeas，andoftheTreasuresAidintheSands！“
　　Strangelyenough，asitwouldseem，exceptforthisbuoyantdeterminationtomakethebestofeverything，theyhardlyappeartorecognizethedifferenceoftheclimatefromthatwhichtheyhadleft。Afteralmostthreeyears’experience，Winslowsays，hecanscarcedistinguishNewEnglandfromOldEngland，inrespectofheatandcold，frost，snow，rain，winds，etc。Thewinter，hethinksifthereisadifference，issharperandlonger；butyethemaybedeceivedbythewantofthecomfortsheenjoyedathome。HecannotconceiveanyclimatetoagreebetterwiththeconstitutionoftheEnglish，notbeingoppressedwithextremityofheats，nornippedbybitingcold：
　　“Bywhichmeans，blessedbeGod，weenjoyourhealth，notwithstandingthosedifficultieswehaveundergone，insuchameasureaswouldhavebeenadmired，ifwehadlivedinEnglandwiththelikemeans。“
　　EdwardJohnson，aftermentioningtheshiftstowhichtheywereputforfood，says，——
　　“Andyet，methinks，ourchildrenareascheerful，fat，andlusty，withfeedinguponthosemussels，clams，andotherfish，astheywereinEnglandwiththeirfillofbread。“
　　Higginson，himselfadyspeptic，“continuallyinphysic，“ashesays，andaccustomedtodressinthickclothing，andtocomforthisstomachwithdrinkthatwas“bothstrongandstale，“——the“jollygoodaleandold，“Isuppose，offreeandeasyBishopStill’ssong，——foundthathebothcouldanddidoftentimesdrinkNewEnglandwaterverywell，——whichheseemstolookuponasaremarkablefeat。Hecouldgoaslightcladasany，too，withonlyalightstuffcassockuponhisshirt，andstuffbreecheswithoutlinings。Twoofhischildrenweresickly：one，——littlemisshapenMary，——diedonthepassage，and，inherfather’swords，“wasthefirstinourshipthatwasburiedinthebowelsofthegreatAtlanticsea；“theother，whohadbeen“mostlamentablyhandled“bydisease，recoveredalmostentirely“bytheverywholesomenessoftheair，altering，digesting，anddryingupthecoldandcrudehumorsofthebody。“Wherefore，hethinksitawisecourseforallcoldcomplexionstocometotakephysicinNewEngland，andendswiththoseoftenquotedwords，that“asupofNewEngland’sairisbetterthanawholedraughtofOldEngland’sale。“
　　Mr。Higginsondied，however，“ofahecticfever，“alittlemorethanayearafterhisarrival。
　　ThemedicalrecordswhichIshallciteshowthatthecolonistswerenotexemptfromthecomplaintsoftheOldWorld。Besidesthecommondiseasestowhichtheirdescendantsaresubject，thereweretwoothers，tosaynothingofthedreadedsmall-pox，whichlatermedicalsciencehasdisarmed，——littleknownamongusatthepresentday，butfrequentamongthefirstsettlers。Thefirstofthesewasthescurvy，alreadymentioned，ofwhichWinthropspeaksin1630，saying，thatitprovedfataltothosewhofellintodiscontent，andlingeredaftertheirformerconditionsinEngland；thepoorhomesickcreaturesinfact，whomwesoforgetinourfloridpicturesoftheearlytimesofthelittlebandinthewilderness。ManywhoweresufferingfromscurvygotwellwhentheLyonarrivedfromEngland，bringingstoreofjuiceoflemons。TheGovernorspeaksofanothercasein1644；anditseemsprobablethatthediseasewasnotofrareoccurrence。
　　Theothercomplaintfromwhichtheysuffered，butwhichhasnearlydisappearedfromamongus，wasintermittentfever，orfeverandague。
　　IinvestigatedthequestionastotheprevalenceofthisdiseaseinNewEngland，inadissertation，whichwaspublishedinavolumewithotherpapers，intheyear1838。Icanaddlittletothefactsthererecorded。Onewhichescapedmewas，thatJoshuaScottow，in“OldMen’sTears，“dated1691，speaksof“shakingagues，“asamongthetrialstowhichtheyhadbeensubjected。TheoutlinemapofNewEngland，accompanyingthedissertationabovereferredto，indicatesalltheplaceswhereIhadevidencethatthediseasehadoriginated。
　　Itwasplainenoughthatitusedtobeknowninmanylocalitieswhereithaslongceasedtobefeared。Stillitwasandisremarkabletoseewhatacleanbillofhealthinthisparticularrespectourbarrensoilinheritedwithitssterility。TherearesomemalariousspotsontheedgeofLakeChamplain，aridtherehavebeensometemporarycentresofmalaria，withinthememoryofman，ononeormoreofourMassachusettsrivers，buttheseareharmlessenough，forthemostpart，unlessthemillersdamthem，whentheyareapttoretaliatewithawhifffromtheirmeadows，thatsetsthewholeneighborhoodshakingwithfeverandague。
　　ThePilgrimsoftheMayflowerhadwiththemagoodphysician，amanofstanding，adeaconoftheirchurch，onewhomtheylovedandtrusted，Dr。SamuelFuller。Butnomedicalskillcouldkeepcoldandhungerandbadfood，and，probablyenough，desperatehomesicknessinsomeofthefeeblersort，fromdoingtheirwork。Nodetailedrecordremainsofwhattheysufferedorwhatwasattemptedfortheirreliefduringthefirstsadwinter。Thegravesofthosewhodiedwerelevelledandsowedwithgrainthatthelossesofthelittlebandmightnotbesuspectedbythesavagetenantsofthewilderness，andtheirstoryremainsuntold。
　　OfDr。Fuller’spractice，atalaterperiod，wehaveanaccountinaletterofhistoGovernorBradford，datedJune，1630。“IhavebeentoMatapan“nowDorchester，hesays，“andletsometwentyofthosepeopleblood。“Suchwholesaledepletionasthis，exceptwithavowedhomicidalintent，isquiteunknowninthesedays；thoughIoncesawthenotedFrenchsurgeon，Lisfranc，inafinephlebotomizingfrenzy，ordersometenorfifteenpatients，takenalmostindiscriminately，tobebledinasinglemorning。
　　Dr。Fuller’stwovisitstoSalem，attherequestofGovernorEndicott，seemtohavebeenverysatisfactorytothatgentleman。
　　Morton，thewildfellowofMerryMount，givesaratherquestionablereasonfortheGovernor’sbeingsowellpleasedwiththephysician’sdoings。Thenamesunderwhichhementionsthetwopersonages，itwillbeseen，arenotintendedtobecomplimentary。“Dr。NoddydidagreatcureforCaptainLittleworth。Hecuredhimofadiseasecalledawife。“WilliamGager，whocameoutwithWinthrop，isspokenofas“arightgodlymanandskilfulchyrurgeon，“butdiedofamalignantfevernotverylongafterhisarrival。“
　　TwopractitionersoftheancienttownofNewburyareentitledtospecialnotice，fordifferentreasons。ThefirstisDr。JohnClark，whoissaidbytraditiontohavebeenthefirstregularlyeducatedphysicianwhoresidedinNewEngland。Hisportrait，inclose-fittingskull-cap，withlonglocksandvenerableflowingbeard，isfamiliartooureyesonthewallofourSociety’santechamber。Hislefthandrestsuponaskull，hisrighthandholdsaninstrumentwhichdeservesapassingcomment。Itisatrephine，asurgicalimplementforcuttingroundpiecesoutofbrokenskulls，soastogetatthefragmentswhichhavebeendrivenin，andliftthemup。Ithasahandlelikethatofagimlet，withaclawlikeahammer，toliftwith，Isuppose，whichlastcontrivanceIdonotseefiguredinmybooks。ButthepointIrefertoisthis：theoldinstrument，thetrepan，hadahandlelikeawimble，whatwecallabraceorbit-
　　stock。ThetrephineisnotmentionedatallinPeterLowe’sbook，London，1634；norinWiseman’sgreatworkonSurgery，London，1676；
　　norinthetranslationofDionis，publishedbyJacobTonson，in1710。
　　InfactitwasonlybroughtintomoregeneralusebyCheseldenandSharpesolateasthebeginningofthelastcentury。AsJohnClarkdiedin1661，itisremarkabletoseethelastfashioninthewayofskull-sawingcontrivancesinhishands，——tosaynothingoftheclawonthehandle，andaHey’ssaw，socalledinEngland，lyingonthetablebyhim，andpaintedtheremorethanahundredyearsbeforeHeywasborn。Thissawisanoldinvention，perhapsasoldasHippocrates，andmaybeseenfiguredinthe“ArmamentariumChirurgicum“ofScultetus，orintheWorksofAmbroisePare。
　　Dr。Clarkissaidtohavereceivedadiplomabeforebecame，forskillinlithotomy。Helovedhorses，asagoodmanydoctorsdo，andleftagoodproperty，astheyalloughttodo。Hisgraveandnoblepresence，withthefewfactsconcerninghim，toldwithmoreorlesstraditionalauthority，giveusthefeelingthatthepeopleofNewbury，andafterwardsofBoston，hadawiseandskilfulmedicaladviserandsurgeoninDr。JohnClark。
　　ThevenerabletownofNewburyhadanotherphysicianwhowaslessfortunate。Thefollowingisacourtrecordof1652：
　　“Thisistocertifywhomitmayconcern，thatwethesubscribers，beingcalledupontotestifyagainstdoctorWilliamSnellingforwordsbyhimuttered，affirmthatbeinginwayofmerrydiscourse，ahealthbeingdranktoallfriends，heanswered，“I’llpledgemyfriends，AndformyfoesAplaguefortheirheelsAnd，’——
　　[asimilarmaledictionontheotherextremityoftheirfeet。]
　　“Sincewhenhehathaffirmedthatheonlyintendedtheproverbusedinthewestcountry，nordowebelieveheintendedotherwise。
　　[Signed]
　　WILLIAMTHOMAS。
　　THOMASMILWARD。
　　“March12th1651，AllwhichIacknowledge，andamsorryIdidnotexpressemyintent，orthatIwassoweakastousesofoolishaproverb。
　　[Signed]
　　GULIELMUSSNELLING。“
　　Notwithstandingthisconfessionandapology，therecordtellsusthat“WilliamSnellinginhispresentmentforcursingisfinedtenshillingsandthefeesofcourt。“
　　IwillmentiononeothernameamongthoseoftheFathersofthemedicalprofessioninNewEngland。The“apostle“Eliotsays，writingin1647，“Weneverhadbutoneanatomyinthecountry，whichMr。
　　GilesFirman，nowinEngland，didmakeandreaduponverywell。“
　　GilesFirmin，asthenameiscommonlyspelled，practisedphysicinthiscountryforatime。Heseemstohavefounditapoorbusiness；
　　for，inalettertoGovernorWinthrop，hesays，“Iamstronglysettupontostudyedivinitie：mystudyeselsemustbelost，forphysickisbutameenehelpe。“
　　GilesFirmin’sLecturesonAnatomywerethefirstscientificteachingsoftheNewWorld。WhiletheFatherswereenlightenedenoughtopermitsuchinstructions，theyweresevereindealingwithquackery；for，in1631，ourcourtrecordsshowthatoneNicholasKnopp，orKnapp，wassentencedtobefinedorwhipped“fortakinguponhimtocurethescurveybyawaterofnoeworthnorvalue，whichhesoldeattaverydearerate。“Emptypursesorsorebackswouldbecommonwithusto-dayifsucharulewereenforced。
　　Besidesthefewworthiesspokenof，andotherswhosenamesIhavenotspacetorecord，wemustrememberthatthereweremanyclergymenwhotookchargeofthebodiesaswellasthesoulsoftheirpatients，amongthemtwoPresidentsofHarvardCollege，CharlesChauncyandLeonardHoar，——andThomasThacher，firstministerofthe“OldSouth，“